


Gold Rush

by literarybrat



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Breath of the Wild Spoilers, Canon Era, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, During Canon, Enemies to Friends, F/M, Parental Figure Urbosa (Legend of Zelda), Pre-Breath of the Wild, Relationship Advice, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:01:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29035860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literarybrat/pseuds/literarybrat
Summary: Everyone knew him. His name was whispered throughout Hyrule. Princess Zelda knows nothing about him. Every thought of him brought her immense pain; a reminder of what a failure she was compared to the goddess' chosen hero. The master of the sword that could seal away the darkness.Perhaps now that he is her personal knight she could see him in a new light.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 58





	1. Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place after Link has been deemed one of the champions and is appointed as Princess Zelda's personal knight.

_ He is too quiet.  _

Those had been Zelda’s first thoughts when her father had told her the news. 

Her thoughts flashed to the boy in the champion’s tunic he had been granted just a week ago. She could still distinctly remember his stoic expression even as he had accepted the tunic. As if the weight of what that meant had no effect on him. Zelda wondered if he even cared about anything. His expression never changed. Not since when he was a child and he had lost his father. 

With the other royal guards, Zelda was able to easily read them. They were supposed to be like him and they weren’t, they were willing to speak when spoken too but that one didn’t. He didn’t laugh when something funny happened, he remained still as a statue.

He was the same age as her. The two of them had practically grown up together. Yet, not more than a single nod in passing had ever been exchanged by the two of them. Zelda knew his name though, it was hard for someone to not know his name. He was the master of the sword after all. He was destined to be the hero of Hyrule with that sword he wields.

_ He was the goddess’ chosen hero. _

Zelda blinked twice and focused her eyes on her father and realized he had been speaking. She had heard none of it. 

“... and I think it’s for the best in regards to your safety,” her father finished off. 

They stood in his study. It was nearer to the library than Zelda’s own study, which she had been meaning to clean up but barely had the time to. In all fairness, she did have a lot more on her mind with her research she was currently conducting. 

What good is a neat study after all? It will just look like you never study there. 

“Oh,” Zelda said finally. She held her hands in front of her, unsure of what to do with them. She felt like fiddling with something, but there was nothing to fiddle with. So she gripped her hands instead. “I would think he would be more useful as a personal knight to you.”

It was only the two of them in her father’s study. Because his study was near the library, it gave Zelda the chance to walk across the castle and take a look around, which she seemed to hardly be doing now. She enjoyed the outside more. Breathing in the air of Hyrule and soaking up the sun and researching everything there is to understand about her kingdom and the wild creatures around it. 

The castle held fond memories of her childhood, though. It reminded her of the days before everything felt so convoluted and almost dream-like. 

King Rhoam looked down at his daughter. He looked nothing like Zelda and oftentimes she had trouble wondering how exactly the two of them were related. Not that she didn’t love her father, but it felt like the two of them were complete polar opposites. Zelda’s eyes flickered just for a moment to the portrait that hung in the study of her mother and Zelda’s heart felt heavy, but her expression never wavered.

“I believe,” King Rhoam continued, “it would also be for the best if you started spending time around people your age.”

Zelda bit the inside of her cheek. 

The two of them had never shared so much as a word to one another. He was a  _ knight _ first and to Zelda’s knowledge, he took that job very seriously. 

It was admirable.

“Oh,” Zelda said again, words failing her. She thought of the boy again, thinking he could perhaps be useful to her. For her sanity at least. “Well, alright. I’m sure we will get along swimmingly. Perhaps he will be interested in my studies. I do like having someone to talk to other than myself.”

King Rhoam’s expression shifted and Zelda realized she had spoken without thinking  _ again _ . The research was something her father was not supposed to know about and yet she had let it slip. 

Zelda winced inwardly, letting a curse slip in her head. 

“Zelda.” The king’s voice was stern, yet it had an edge of calm to it that Zelda hated because it meant he was angry and Zelda hated making her father angry. “We talked about this. This research of yours needs to be put on hold. Your priority at the moment should be to awaken your powers… The research can be done by anyone else. You focus on you.” 

Zelda felt the rise of an argument coming in her throat but she kept her lips sealed against her own wishes. She wanted to argue that just focusing on awakening her powers would only make her lose her mind, but she didn’t express that, instead she stayed quiet. She would not lose her temper here in her father’s study where her mother’s portrait hung on the wall looking at her. 

Zelda was to be the perfect princess.

Or near perfect, since perfection could not ever truly exist. 

“Of course,” Zelda said. She lowered her head, like she was apologizing. “My apologies.”

She could feel her father’s eyes still lingering on her, but she was certain that he didn’t believe her. He had already told her countless times to give up this research and yet Zelda never did so. 

Zelda looked up at him and saw his eyebrows were knit together with a clear look of doubt. Zelda ignored it. “Is that all then?”

Her father stared at her for a moment longer before nodding his head and gesturing for her to leave, with a dismissive wave of his hand. 

Zelda bowed her head once more before leaving her father’s study with a heavy heart.

As the princess emerged from her father’s study she was surprised to see  _ him _ standing right outside. Her eyes widened in surprise and she took the smallest step back. He looked just as surprised and his hand was raised like he was about to knock on the door. He lowered his hand and placed it on his side. 

Zelda noticed the sword on his back and she swallowed, feeling bitterness start to rise but she forced herself not to show it.

It was there though, the reminder that he managed to rise above her. A boy who should have, quite honestly, been no one. Yet, he was the most well known knight in all of Hyrule, recognizable by his blue champion’s tunic. Recognizable with that sword on his back as a reminder that the goddess had chosen  _ him. _

He blinked a few times when Zelda didn’t move and sidestepped to let her pass. 

Zelda went ahead and started walking through the library, going to head over to her own study now. It was late afternoon and the princess figured she could very well spend the rest of the time until supper doing more research.

As she walked, she could hear the knight’s faint footsteps behind her. 

Zelda glanced behind her to see him following. He said nothing even when they locked eyes.

She looked away quickly before he could see the bitterness she held towards the boy.


	2. Wisdom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place prior to the events taken place in the memory "Urbosa's Hand".

Divine Beast Vah Naboris terrified Princess Zelda.

Well, it wasn’t the Divine Beast that terrified Zelda, but rather the Gerudo that she had chosen to take control of the Divine Beast: Urbosa. 

Urbosa was powerful in terms of Gerudos and kind. Though, most Gerudos were kind, especially to women, or “vai”. Men (“voe”) on the other hand were not allowed in Gerudo town. It was the reason she managed to get away with Link not being at her side that day.

She hadn’t told him where she was going and she knew she would end up getting repercussions from that decision, but she couldn’t stand being around him. Nothing about him was bad, he hardly spoke but he  _ followed her everywhere _ . Which was his job, of course, but it never made Zelda feel any better. 

He was the Hylian everyone looked up to, following her around just being a shadow and a reminder that Princess Zelda has yet to fulfill her destiny in awakening her powers in protecting Hyrule.

There was a lightning strike that came down in front of Naboris causing Zelda to yelp and nearly stumble to the ground. She heard Urbosa cackle.

Zelda looked at her eyes wide. “What was that for?” Zelda asked, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice. 

Urbosa just grinned at the Hylian princess good naturedly. “You seemed troubled. Thought I could startle you out of it.”

Zelda released a breath and touched her head, the heat of the Gerudo desert coming down on them harshly. Zelda said, “Consider me startled.”

Although Zelda was welcome among the Gerudo, she hardly ever visited. Quite frankly, she despised the heat. She wasn’t built for it like the Gerudo were. Though, it was definitely a different experience now that Vah Naboris was here. Plus, although Zelda was a bit scared to be around her, Urbosa was quite pleasant company. She acted like an older sister, always willing to push Zelda in the right direction and offer her encouragement when Zelda felt her own optimism wavering. 

“Get under the shade,” Urbosa said, making her way over to a shady part of the Divine Beast. “I don’t need you getting heat exhaustion on me. Link won’t be happy with me if he knew you passed out under my eye.”

At the sound of Link’s name, Zelda jumped. Almost like she expected him to appear. Her eyes darted around, confirming he wasn’t there before making her way over to the shade with Urbosa. 

“I doubt he will find me,” Zelda said. “This would be the last place he would look, I believe. Or Vah Rudania. Frankly, there are a lot of places he will most likely end up looking before choosing here.”

The two vai sat together on the Divine Beast and Zelda looked out into the desert, able to spot Gerudo town in the distance, although it was difficult with the heat. 

“Hiding, Princess?” Urbosa asked. 

Zelda heard the teasing note in her voice and felt her cheeks redden in embarrassment.

They were already red from the heat so it made no difference but Zelda had a feeling Urbosa could spot the difference between blush from the heat and blush from embarrassment a mile away. 

“ _ No _ ,” Zelda said a bit too forcefully. Her eyes darted to Urbosa who was watching her with a sly smile, like she knew something that Zelda did not. “Well… perhaps a little. Do you blame me though? He’s like a  _ shadow _ . He won’t leave me alone for  _ any _ reason. It’s unnerving. Like I can’t be expected to think for myself.”

Zelda knew she was exaggerating a bit. Danger was practically at every turn now and she knew she had to have protection. It was the whole reason her father had chosen Link as her personal guard. 

“You know,” Urbosa said, cutting into Zelda’s thoughts, “you could try talking to him. He can’t be all that bad.”

Link’s face flashed in Zelda’s head, his silent expression staring at her even when she got angry at him. 

It made her frown.

“That’s another thing!” Zelda exclaimed. 

She turned to face Urbosa who simply raised an eyebrow at her in what looked like amusement, but Zelda couldn’t bother with it. Urbosa was easily amused by anything. 

Zelda continued, “He won’t talk! Well, he can. He refuses to more than half the time though for whatever reason. He acts like he is better than everyone else and for what? Is it because he has the sword?”

Urbosa stared at Zelda for a long moment before slowly dragging her gaze out to the desert. “Link doesn’t seem like the type of person to think he’s better than everyone else.” Her voice stayed calm as it always did even when people raised their voice. It always looked as though she had nothing to lose.“He seems like a good guy.”

Zelda kept her gaze on Urbosa, trying to think of something to say but couldn't. Link… was  _ good _ . Deep down Zelda knew this.

“Princess,” Urbosa said, “if I may ask: is this really about Link? Or is this about something else?”

There was the truth, handed to the princess on a platter before her. 

A hot gust of wind blew through the shade where the two of them sat and Zelda closed her eyes. 

“He can hear the voice,” Zelda whispered. Although Zelda could deny it to everyone else, she could not lie to Urbosa. Urbosa knew her better than any of the other champions. 

Zelda sighed, opening her eyes. “He managed to master the sword and, yet, I still can’t master my own powers. He… He is a reminder of how much I’m failing at the one thing my mother and father want me to do. My mother told me to harness this power just like my grandmother had and I can’t do that no matter how hard I try and how hard I plead to the goddess… He harnessed the sword, though. So easily.”

Urbosa didn’t answer for a long moment, she just looked out into the desert with an unrecognizable look in her eyes. “He also worked hard,” Urbosa said calmly. Slowly, she turned her gaze over to her, tilting her head ever so slightly. “You know that.”

Zelda did know that, she had seen him grow up. Watched as the other knights admired him even though he was so much more younger than them. 

“Then…” Zelda’s voice faltered as she tried to find words but found herself failing at  _ that _ . Even the most simple tasks she felt herself failing at. “Do I not work as hard?”

Urbosa rested a hand on Zelda’s shoulder, in that comforting big sister way that the princess could not help but adore her for. 

“You do,” Urbosa said firmly. “You work just as hard as he does, although, you both just have different things to work towards.” Urbosa let out a short laugh. “I don’t blame you for hating him, Princess. After all, it is easier to blame men for everything.”

Zelda felt a laugh rise in her throat and she covered her mouth, giggling softly. It was such an odd sound to be heard in such a barren landscape. 

“Talk to him,” Urbosa urged. She let her hand drop from Zelda’s shoulder. “I have a feeling you both are a lot more alike than you may realize.”

Zelda had a feeling that Urbosa was right; she usually was. She felt her smile fade and she considered the question in her head before she asked:

“How are you so good at knowing what the right thing to do is?”

Urbosa simply grinned at Zelda. “Years of taking the wrong advice.” She threw back her head as if she was taking in the desert's dry heat.   
“You’ll see,” Urbosa continued. “You are wise beyond your years in many areas. You are still young though, you are still forging your path and learning.” She side eyed Zelda, that grin of hers still on her face. “Take my advice about Link, you might learn a thing or two from him.”


	3. Courage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taken from the context of Princess Zelda's diary regarding Link.

Princess Zelda was realizing one thing about Hyrule champion she had never taken note of before. 

_ He never stopped training _ .

To some it could definitely be considered admirable. To Zelda, it made her feel like her head was about to explode if she heard him grunt one more time. Though, his voice was pleasant to hear, considering she hardly ever heard it. 

She would have rather heard him speak, though.

She thought back on her and Urbosa’s conversation.

“Link?” 

She rarely said his name. She hadn’t realized it until that moment and it felt heavy on her lips. 

Link froze at the sound of his name and he straightened, turning to face the princess. His expression was still guarded, as it always was, but he must’ve realized how Zelda rarely used his name. He quirked his eyebrows at her curiously and Zelda felt herself sit up a bit more, shutting off her sheikah slate. 

“May I ask you a question?”

Link held the Master Sword in his hand and nodded mutely, putting it away in its sheath. 

Zelda beckoned him over, patting the empty space next to her under the tree for him to sit. 

Link didn’t object and walked over and sat beside Zelda - leaving space between the two of them and crossing his legs. She could hear his breaths as he did this, panting from the practice swings. 

“I don’t mean to be rude,” Zelda began, then figured that is never a good way to begin a conversation. “Well, I don’t believe it’s a rude question. I’m just curious about something and I suppose there is no need to answer.” She was looking out across the field, in the direction of the castle and she could feel his blue eyes watching her and it made her thoughts jumble a bit. “I was just wondering: why is it that you don’t speak often?”

She saw a few emotions flash across his face, though none she could catch quickly enough before he turned back to his stoic self. He turned his gaze in the direction of the castle, rubbing his cheek. 

“Where is this coming from?” he asked. His voice was soft, like he was scared if he spoke too loud he would wake a sleeping child. 

Zelda thought back on Urbosa’s words to her but didn’t have the courage to admit that Urbosa had been the main factor in Zelda’s question. 

“I’m just curious,” she said. “As I said, you don’t have to answer.”

Link’s gaze stayed on the castle and he had a faraway look in his eyes. It reminded Zelda of the photo she had seen in her father’s study, hidden away. It was of Link’s father. He had been her father’s personal knight for some time before his untimely passing. He had risen above the ranks just like Link had. They looked so much alike. 

“You often feel overwhelmed, Princess,” Link said. “I can see it when you speak to the other champions. You feel as if the weight of the world is on your shoulders. You feel… like you have failed because you have yet to grasp that power from within that you do have.”

Link’s words were a punch in the gut for Zelda. She had rarely spoken about her fear of failure aloud around him but he had picked up on it somehow. Somehow he still knew this about her when she had intended for him to never know it about her. 

Zelda stayed silent.

“My father wanted me to be the best,” he continued softly. She watched as he picked blades of grass from the ground, his eyebrows furrowing as he did so. “Not for himself but for me, because he knew it would be good for my future.

“It may not seem like it but I do feel like you at times.” A gust of wind blew through the field and Zelda watched as the flags of Hyrule waved in the sky. “Although I know I don’t show it… or express my burdens in the way you do, I feel like I can’t do that. Your father sees me as the strongest of the knights. The knights see that as well. The champions. The people of Hyrule see me at your side and I can hear their whispers about me just like you hear.” Link laughed a hollow sort of laugh. “ _ The one who holds the sword that seals away the darkness _ …  _ The goddess’ chosen hero. _ It’s such a rewarding title to be your knight. To be the one to brandish this sword but people look at me differently because of it. If I stay silent I don’t have to fear being vulnerable and I can hold any burden that is thrown my way. I have to stay that strong hero they view me as.”

Zelda stared at him for a couple moments and she felt her ears ringing with his words. Suddenly, he looked different. His posture was weighted like he truly was holding the weight of the world on his shoulders. Zelda knew she was the same way but she wanted to reach out and take that burden from him because she knew what it was like. 

“You don’t have to hold all those burdens around me,” Zelda said. Her voice had softened considerably, almost as soft as his. She felt the urge to reach out to him, but didn’t. “We can share them.”

“You have your own burdens, Princess,” he mumbled. “I won’t put those on you.”

Link stood to his feet quickly, like he was scared he would get vulnerable.  _ Weak _ , like he thought vulnerability was. Zelda wasn’t ready for the conversation to be dropped. She figured him out and she wasn’t going to let that go. 

“ _ Link _ .” 

Zelda reached out quickly as he was walking away and grabbed his hand in hers. It was clammy and she saw his face turn startled as he turned back toward Zelda. The touch of his hand made her realize they had never touched before. They had never been this close physically or emotionally before and Zelda desperately didn’t want that to change. 

“Share your burdens with me,” Zelda pleaded. 

Link stared down at her hand on his and he didn’t respond for a long moment. It felt as though the world around them had stopped just for them. The world was holding its breath for his response. 

Zelda was holding hers. 

Link lifted his gaze to Zelda’s and she watched as another gust of wind blew through the field and his hair followed the breeze across his face graciously. 

“Okay,” Link said at last, his voice somehow softer than before, “but only you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is my first ever legend of zelda fanfiction (i know its short but i just really wanted to write about these two desperately)!! i recently got breath of the wild and decided to write this on a whim.  
> ill admit i had been wanting to write a zelink fanfiction for years but i finally gave in. botw changed me. if it was for the better, who knows?  
> maybe ill write more in the future about these two! thank you so much for reading and i love you all so very much if you did.


End file.
